SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act)

Team Brian GB

People's idea here of Government control and ownership ridiculous, people's liberty does not extend to breaking copyrights of other people and in this internet age it is very important that authorities are able to protect them.

B19

This is outrageous.

I am currently downloading Conan The Barbarian illegally to voice my protest.

Edmeiste

I dont think anyone has a problem with that. It's the fact that the government can use this as leverage to control the internet even further. I know conservatives will be lapping this up, they hate government, or should i say big government.

Edmeiste

Good point brian. Cinc highlighted this earlier and it looks as if it does happen, they will probably choose the latter.

TuTuHimm

So user generated content sites are history because no site owner would dare trusting users to not infringe copyrights?

Team Brian GB

It is incredibly important, the United Kingdom is the world's largest internet market - internet commerce is heading towards 7% of GDP, it is the fifth largest sector of the economy and is continuing to boom.

This is being seen across the world and it is very important that governments react to protect it in various ways, and clamping down on copyright violation is a central part of that.

TuTuHimm

Or does it just apply to websites hosted in America? Then who gives a shit everyone can just move it to foreign countries

Team Brian GB

It isn't as easy as that - the likes of Flickr, Facebook, Google, Myspace, Youtube, Tumblr etc. are all headquartered in the United States where they have between them tens of thousands of employees.

Silva

And you don't think that this legislation goes way too far in the name of stopping piracy, Brian?

Edmeiste

So you're saying someone that downloads a torrent instead of buying a DVD online is hindering internet commerce?

What about those who do not download but stream movies on certain websites? Supposedly those have been considered not to be illegal. However, not sure how true that claim is.

RK

The USA can fuck off. They can't control the internet.

They arrested and jailed the CEO of a UK online bookmaker during his flight changeover in Texas. Simply because online gambling is illegal in the states.

Team Brian GB

Well yes, they're stealing - not that it is harming the internet per se but with the overwhelming significance of the internet today in all fields means a whole tranche of reforms are now required, copyright protections amongst them.

I wouldn't be surprised if the use of proxy servers one day becomes illegal, it is bound to happen at some point.

Brosstan

Fascists.

Team Brian GB

No, the growth in freedom over the last twenty years has been unprecedented due to the explosion in the means and ease of communications and connectivity to the wider world in large part due to the internet. Even with the Government reacting to online piracy, we still have far less regulation over freedom and more personal autonomy than in previous generations.

Silva

Fucking hell Brian, you actually support this bill? You realise that under this bill, so much as posting as a single link posted on any given website makes that website illegal, meaning that if I had a passionate dislike for the caf all I'd have to do is create another account and post a link to a torrent and bam - the caf is shut down.

It's pretty much the same as an entire car boot sale or market being deemed illegal because one person there is selling stolen items. It's ridiculous and way over the fucking top.

Team Brian GB

The same people were making the same arguments about the Digital Economy Act which went through Parliament in 2010,

guess what, the world didn't end.

Brosstan

This is one of those issues where governments shouldnt be allowed to make a decision. There should be nationwide votes held instead. Its a very important issue that should be dealth with 100% democratically instead of in the senate or similar institutions. They are simply too influenced by lobbyism to make the democratic decision. Im absolutely positive that the majority is against SOPA.

Silva

Was that bill ever enforced though?

Team Brian GB

It is.

Team Brian GB

You travel down a slippery slope when you start pushing that reasoning.

Silva

If you say so

Team Brian GB

It is for Americans to support or not support domestic legislation.

Edmeiste

I dont think we want to liken your government to ours. Granted, I dont know a lot about yours but still, I dont think the government would just stop with SOPA and PROTECT IP. It's a shame that such legislation is enough to make these companies think of transferring over to a different country.

You dont think there's a better way?

Like I said before you cant eliminate piracy. Just like you can't stop hackers. It will always be there in some form.

If this bill does pass, it will be interesting how exactly it's implemented because it could be quite severe.

Edmeiste

Yes because proxy servers are really that bad...

Mickey

Dont worry lads. 4chan will do something about this.

Brosstan

No, its a slippery slope when that kind of reasoning is questioned in a nation that pretends to be a democracy.

Team Brian GB

In a democracy it is called mob rule, governments are in place to do what is right and not what is in demand.

Edmeiste

In principle, the question is if they will do right in this case. The bill may have good intentions but I still feel it's giving the government too much power.

Team Brian GB

It will happen if governments go down this route.

Edmeiste

This. We should be more focused on our economy.

Team Brian GB

On the contrary, it is returning the balance of power to where it was in 2000 before the explosive growth of the internet when online media was still a novelty. We need much stronger copyright and patent protections on and off the internet and we need them to worldwide, this is a part of that.

Edmeiste

Why shut down proxy servers Brian?

Edmeiste

Still dont agree this is the best way to go about it but I guess we'll still have to wait and see. What's to say that the balance of power wont shift in the other direction to a point where it's imbalanced again?

Team Brian GB

Because they allow people to cloak online activity, which in itself is a novelty because you cannot do the same with phone traffic or the postal service.

Team Brian GB

They are always in flux though it certainly has to move in the other direction because we are creating a culture where it is seen to be permissible to violate copyright and patent protections which is very dangerous for us in the long term.

Edmeiste

Harsh. Guess the cons outweigh the pros

Edmeiste

And I'm just unsure this bill is a step in the right direction although it has good intentions.

Edmeiste

Harsh. Guess the cons outweigh the pros

Silva

It doesn't have good intentions though, it's basically big corporations shutting down every corner of the internet that cause them to make a little bit less money.

Sir Matt

The whole copyright and patent system is insane as it is. Works can be copyrighted essentially forever in the US and patents in the US are approved that are so vague that many different people hold patents to the same thing. So they sue one another to see whose wording is the most obtuse. Copyrights and patents should have limits. Chris Tolkien will piggyback off his father until his death. As is, copyrights on most works are too long.

If a company wants to protect its patent/copyright, let them figure out means to do so or litigate. If their case is frivolous, as many are, then they pay court costs, lawyers fees, and compensation to the accused. SOPA gives power to companies to have sites taken down willynilly with complaints or else the host risks repercussions. GoDaddy already takes down sites if it gets complaints even if they aren't substantiated.

Steam is the perfect example of how copyright infringement should be dealt with. Valve created a great system that benefits it and the customers. Giving companies wide-ranging powers to take down anything they don't like is insane.

There are football matches I couldn't watch because they aren't offered on television here or the carriers aren't with my provider. I would pay for it if it were offered and reasonable, but many times if it is, it's extortionately priced for something that will see use once or twice a week.